Much preparation work should be done before constructing a house. It is the same in Chinese languagelearning that the students need to learn some basic words before they can open the mouth and speak Chinese. Many foreigners are confused about how to study Chinese words effectively. In fact, if you can associate one word with another which is similar in meaning and appearance, it will be of great help. After you know clear about the differences and similarities between them, you will know more words.

The group of words 坚决 and坚定are often used to express the meaning that someone has made the decisions to do something. As an adjective, 坚决 means determined or resolute, which is opposite to “hesitating”. You can say 坚决反对and坚决服从. For 坚定, the meaning has the tendency to emphasize to be firm like 意志坚定and步伐坚定. In addition, the latter one can function as a verb means to make something firm like 坚定决心and坚定信念. What’s more, the former one is often used to describe measure, proposal, action and attitude while another one is to describe the position and will.

When the three words 艰苦, 艰巨and艰难appear at the same time, many foreigners will be confused. 艰苦 is to describe the life, fight and environment are bad like 艰苦的岁月. For the word艰巨, the students who learn Mandarin Chinese should know it means the job is difficult and heavy to do like 工作艰苦. 艰难emphasizes the difficulties in life, action and specific actions. You can often hear people say生活艰难.

The words 检验and考验 seem difficult to tell apart, but as a matter of fact, it is easy. 检验means to check and then test such as 检验产品. It is usually to test whether things or theories are standardized or not according to certain standards. 考验is to examine and verify, usually to test whether people’s action, thoughts and opinions are firm or not in the strict conditions like 接受组织考验. In addition, it can function as a noun to mean the thing that test people.